


Summer Garden

by RelarOfFire



Category: Kingkiller Chronicles - Patrick Rothfuss
Genre: Fluff, I promise, M/M, flirting and kissing is here hello, its actually very cute, very gay content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-22
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-11-03 20:23:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10974702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RelarOfFire/pseuds/RelarOfFire
Summary: Kote convinced Bast to help him work on the garden so they both could spend more time together with the warmer weather. Warmer weather leads to warmer hearts.





	Summer Garden

“Reeeeeeeeshiiiiiiiiii!” Bast called, looking up the stairs to the second floor. “Come on! You’re taking forever!” He added, pouting slightly as he waited impatiently. Tapping his foot, he sighed, glancing to the front door in hopes no one would walk in and ruin their day together. Kote had promised that they two of them would get a day all to themselves; and he wasn’t about to let that go easily.

Kote exited his room and pulled the door closed behind him, looking down the stairs to his companion. “I know, I know. I was cleaning something up. Be patient.”

“Patient? I’ve been waiting ten minutes on you.” He complained back.

“Five, Bast. It was five minutes. I was counting.” Kote replied, walking down the stairs with his hair tied up into a low bun. He put a sunhat on his head and pushed up his sleeves to his elbows; showing off tanned skin, freckles, and old scars. Stopping just before the last step, occupied by his fae friend, he put one fist on his hip and pushed the hat back a little to see better. “Well, what are you waiting for? You have to move first.”

Bast stared, before smiling and snickering. He hid his smile behind his hand, small giggles leaving his mouth.

Kote looked confused, before annoyed. Narrowing his eyes, he huffed softly. “What is it now?”

“You look stupid.”

“Wh-What?! I do not!” Kote countered, shocked. Crossing his arms, he gave a slight glare, turning a shoulder to Bast in annoyance. “Just because I don’t like to feel the summer sun baking me alive, doesn’t mean I look dumb.”

Bast started laughing more, shoulders and hair bouncing with each jolly bellow. “Y-You look like the-- the old ladies do-down the road! HAA!!” He bent half way over and steadied himself on his knees, howling in laughter. The sound was mostly human, but had undertones of something more wild.

Kote’s face went a soft pink, lips pursing together and huffing sharply through his nose. “Knock it off or I’ll go make you pick vegetables on your own!” He snapped, clearly not as light hearted about the joke as Bast was.

The fae couldn’t stop laughing, wiping at the corners of his eyes as he looked up from his crouched position. “Y-You want gloves t-too?” He asked, poking more fun.

Kote’s face went more pink in color, now more embarrassed than annoyed. He just wanted to keep from being baked alive, not compared to old people. Sure, his body felt old as hell with the pains he had, but he didn’t think he looked old! Rolling his eyes, the innkeeper pushed past Bast, tugging his hat down onto his head defiantly as he walked back towards the kitchen to get out back. “Just get your ass outside, will you?” 

Bast took a while to calm down, eventually joining the innkeeper outside. By the time he did get out there, Kote had already started on picking some of the zucchini and placing them into the small woven basket next to his knee. He worked quietly, focused on checking each vegetable to make sure they were ripe, full, and not going bad or had bugs in them. While he was sure they had treated for insects, one couldn’t ever be perfect at such. 

Kote listened to Bast move about behind him, trying to pick which plant to start with. “Bast, start with the beets”

“But I hate beets!” Bast whined immediately.

Rolling his eyes again, Kote sighed. “Then go and pick the peas, eggplants, and green beans. That shouldn’t take you long.”

“Will you pick the beets?”

“Yes. I’m not letting those go to waste.” Kote replied, chuckling a bit. “Other people like them, so I grow them. Just because you don’t like them doesn’t mean no one gets them.”

Bast pouted and scooted along the garden to get to the other vegetables, “It should be that way. Beets are gross.” He muttered under his breath as he walked along. Squatting to check the plants, Bast started picking the ones that looked okay and tossing the ones that looked like they had gone bad or been eaten by something into a different pile.

The two worked in silence for quite a while, Kote moving on from the zucchini to the box of beets, and the cucumbers. Bast gathered what he was asked, glancing on occasion over to his red haired friend and pouting. It wasn’t what he had expected a day together to be. He wished there was more talking and banter, but it didn’t seem like Kote was in the mood for banter. 

“Bast.” Kote called.

“Yes, Reshi?” Bast said immediately, turning his head to the call. 

Kote smiled softly, face shaded from the harsh summer sun. “Will you take all these inside and start washing them? Open up the window while you’re at it. I’m going to pick some of the more quicker to go bad vegetables before I join you. I won’t be long, so don’t give me that face.”

“What face?”

“That one.” He replied, adjusting the basket in his arms full of greens. “The quiet pouting look that’s coming up. You know the one. I’m not banishing you to the kitchen, calm down.”

Bast’s face went a soft pink, looking away. Gathering his basket up and dusting his knees off with his free hand, the far got up and walked over to the innkeeper, taking the much larger basket from him. “I’m not washing the beets.” he muttered bitterly.

“Oh, yes you are.” Kote laughed, smiling brightly as he walked past.

The fae’s face went a deep red, steam nearly coming out his ears with how red he was. It’d been a while since he heard Kote laugh so genuinely and smile so widely. It made his heart race like the rabbits he chased as a young boy. Shaking his head, Bast moved into the kitchen quickly to do as he was asked. Of course, the first thing he did after nearly dropping the baskets onto the counter, and sending the vegetables all over the place, was throw the window wide open.

Kote turned sharply with the banging noise he heard, seeing the dark haired man nearly hanging out the window. “Tehlu’s tits and teeth! We just got that window repaired-- careful!”

“S-Sorry Reshi!” He called back, watching him turn back to work in the garden. Sighing softly, he stood and watched the red haired man for a long minute, before going about the chores he was asked to do. To pass time more pleasantly, the fae began to sing; baritone voice carrying out the window and to the warm summer air. 

Kote paused his picking for only a moment so he could listen to Bast sing. While it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, but hearing him sing anything but riddles and drinking tunes was. Whatever he was singing was something Kote couldn’t understand. Yet, it was beautiful all the same. Smiling to himself, he went back to picking vegetables, relaxing and listening contently.

Not quite an hour passed before the innkeeper found his way back inside, holding his basket with one arm and wiping his brow with his free hand as he entered the much cooler inn. Setting the basket onto the counter, he smiled to Bast, clapping him on the shoulder gently as the other worked. Leaving the kitchen, he put the hat away and dressed into a lighter weight shirt, before returning and helping with the cleaning chore.

The two men stood side by side, one humming and the other glancing over and watching. It alternated on who would hum and who would steal glances as they worked, never meeting eyes or speaking a word directly to one another. Birds sang outside from the forest, accompanying the pumped water that was constantly added and replacing slightly muddy water that accumulated in the sink with each new batch of vegetables. 

Kote spoke first, eventually. “Why don’t I make us some lunch? You can go and get cleaned up while I do so.”

“If you say so.” Bast said, shaking his hands of cold water, before wiping them off on the front of his dark shirt. “I won’t take long, okay? So don’t cook anything too big. It’s too hot anyway.”

“Don’t worry,” Kote chuckled, “I don’t plan on cooking anything today. I did all my cooking yesterday and last night.” He waved the other off, moving around the kitchen with one less body in it. 

Bast wasted no time in changing his trousers and shirt, fixing his dark hair and wiping his dark face of sweat. Checking himself over once more, he changed his shirt again into something of a lighter color, before bounding back downstairs. “Reshi, you don’t mind if we-- Oh. You beat me too it...” He slowed his walk to a stop, seeing as the other had already set up part of the bar to eat.

It was rather light and basic food, good for keeping energy and fighting off the heat, along with some wine. It was all set up on the end of the bar closest to the kitchen. Kote was behind the bar, naturally, pausing setting up the plates to see Bast re-joining. 

The innkeeper smile, strands of unruly red hair falling from the bun more and resting against his face. “You think I’d pester you to work with me on a hot day and not give you wine? Who do you think I am? Now come on, come eat with me. I’m just as hungry as you are from pulling vegetables nearly all morning.”

Bast smiled softly, a gentle warmth bubbling in his chest as he walked over and took a bar stool. Sitting in a comfortable manner, the fae leaned against the bar and took up the wine first, sniffing at it. “Reshi... is this?”

“Elderberry? Yes. I hid some from you so you would quit drinking it all. Consider this a thank you for helping out more than normal.” Kote smiled, before starting on his meal.

The other blushed once more, looking down to the wine quickly. A smile found it’s way to his lips, “Very smart. You’re always full of surprises.” 

“I have to be. You’d be actually bored if I weren’t.” Kote teased, giving a small wink.

Bast’s heart nearly jumped out of his mouth, choking slightly on his bread. “R...Reshi, I have to ask....”

“Yes?”

“...Is there a reason you are being more...?” He tried.

“Moooore, what?”

“You know.” Bast tried again. “Like this.”

“I don’t think I quite understand what you’re asking.”

“You’re being more... happy. Open.” Bast dealt with the flat human words that left his lips for the mean time. “You seem a lot better than, say, a week ago. Did something happen?”

Kote stopped eating and rubbed his chin, trying to think. “Well... Not that I can think of. The weather is nicer and there is more company about. I get to keep myself busy. And you aren’t sulking about half as much as normal since the weather is kind enough to let you roam.”

Bast pouted, “Oh, come on. That was a low blow and you know it.”

The red head laughed, “You know I’m right. And I’m serious. Sometimes a change of weather can be enough. Why are you asking? Scared I’m up to something?”

The fae shook his head. “No, not that.” He sighed and swirled his wine slightly. “I dunno. You haven’t been very... banter-y or flirty as you used too. Until today, at least. I was just wondering what suddenly changed. That’s all.”

“Humans that confusing for you, still?” Kote asked, raising a brow and sipping his wine.

“You are all squishy and confusing, manling.” The blue eyed fae muttered, narrowing his eyes. “So full of strange emotional swings and contradicting stand points. Sometimes you people need to just relax and experience the world instead of dealing with coin and such.”

“Ah, but such is the life of a manling.” Kote mocked gently, shaking his head. “It’s what makes us, us.”

“Makes you all soft and squishy....”

“You like that, don’t kid yourself.”

“Never denied it. just stating what I see and what I’ve learned.” Bast said, with a tinge of a pout. Drinking more wine, he sighed and went to chewing on the dried fruits. “As long as you’re happy now, that’s all that matters.”

Kote hummed pleasantly in reply, continuing his meal. Though, he stopped as Bast stared. “Yes Bast?” He asked, knowing there was more to what the other wanted to speak of.

“Hm?”

“You’re staring.” Kote commented, another smile playing on his lips. “Again. Are you sure that you’re alright?”

Bast sat up straight, taken aback for a moment. “I-I’m fine! I’m perfectly fine! Why do you ask?”

Kote looked to him, a brow raised in question. Without speaking, he simply gestured to the others current stance and reaction. 

“What? Oh! I’m just... happy to see you’re happy again. You worried me there for a bit.” Bast admitted, settling down once more and picking at his food. “It’s a strange sight to see you smiling and laughing anymore.”

“I save it for special occasions.” Kote shrugged. “Like this one.”

“S-S-Special!?” Bast asked, sitting up straight again and face blooming into a soft red. “Special? You said special.”

“Yes. I did. Very good, Bast. You know common.”

“You know that’s not what I meant!”

Kote laughed, smiling again. “Oh, so you can tease me, but I can’t tease you? That’s no fair.”

Bast stared for a long minute, before seeming to melt into a smile and rest against the bar once more. A small sigh passed his lips, giving him a very day dream esc look to his person. 

“...You’re at it again.” Kote said, a little sternly to knock the fae out of his strange actions. “If you want to ask whatever you keep looking at me for, just ask. Hiding questions gets you no where, you know this.”

There was a moment of hesitation.

“C...Can you close your eyes?” Bast asked.

“...Can you?” Kote replied, clearly perplexed.

“Th-That’s not what I meant!!”

Kote laughed once more, grinning now.

“J-Just close your eyes!! Tehlu have mercy!” Bast cursed, huffing and waiting for the innkeeper to do as he asked.

“Alright, alright. Calm down.” Kote replied, waving him off and closing his eyes. “Okay. Now what?”

Another small silence.

Kote almost peeked, but felt that Bast had suddenly moved closer. He was still hesitating. “Bast? Hellooooo?”

“I’m working on it, Reshi.” Bast muttered, much closer than Kote had anticipated. “Um... N-Now... Now just, keep still.”

“You best not be messing with my hair.” Kote warned, teasingly of course. He wasn’t stupid, he knew what Bast was up too and wanted to do. Which, he had no issue with and had no intentions of stopping. The innkeeper just enjoyed watching someone who claimed to be so suave struggle with asking for something so gentle and simple.

“I-I’m not. I’m not.” Bast said, glancing to the front door to make sure no one was walking in. Looking back to Kote, his face heated up more as he took in all the man’s facial details. The small scars, thousands of sun kissed freckles on his tan skin, the shape of his eyes and nose, the way his eyebrows and mouth sat in such a calm manner... It was all so perfect. 

Gulping, the fae sighed slowly and adjusted how his feet were on the bar stool, teetering rather precariously from stretching over the entire bar. Resting a hand on the other’s face gently, Bast felt small red hairs tickle his fingers as he disrupted the falling out bun on Kote’s head. 

Kote didn’t move or say anything, waiting patiently. As tempting as it was to peek, he did no such action.

Bast bit his lip for a moment, before carefully leaning in, hovering his lips over the innkeepers, heart racing and feeling as though he was going to fall apart if he actually touched lips. His breath was short, his mind raced, and he felt like a newly budded lover all over again. No experience: shy love, flower petal touches and  spring breeze kisses... it was so serene and dazing.

Kote knew Bast was overly nervous by that point, his own heart racing a bit quicker. He could feel the blush radiating off of Bast’s skin with how close he was, feeling the gentle tremor in the fae’s fingers that were still placed on his face. While his heart was more steady, his mind was equal to the other’s heart; racing and scattered. 

For a moment, Bast pulled away ever so slightly, over thinking his actions. But, before he could do so any further, Kote opened his eyes partially and leaned forward to close the gap, locking his lips to the others. The innkeepers hand slipped to Bast’s jaw, cradling it gently and pulling him in closer. He tasted of elderberry and sweet honey, dashed with sunlight.

Bast’s eyes flew wide open, foot kicking out in shock. He melted into the elderberry sweet kiss, just as his excited kick sent the stool flying backwards, Kote’s wine spilling over, and sending the two backwards and behind the bar with a loud thud and clatter of disrupting glasses and bottles.

The kiss broke after they hit the floor, both groaning and grimacing from the impacts they had endured; Kote twice as much than Bast since he was the one who had been landed on.

Bast pushed his upper body up slightly, blinking and looking to Kote as they bother recovered. A grin came to his face, followed by laughter at the absurdity of the situation. Thankfully, Kote quickly followed suit. They laid there, laughing and nearly howling at the situation, before finally calming down to giggles and teary eyes. Elderberry dripped off the bar and to the floor gently, spreading the smell about the inn further. 

“Kote...”

“Yes?” 

“Can I... Kiss you again?” Bast asked sheepishly, blush coming back to his face.

Kote smiled and sat up just enough to be in Bast’s reach. “Yes, you may. Because I would enjoy another kiss from you myself.” 

The fae nearly kicked about again, eyes sparkling with joy and smiling wide. taking the innkeeper’s face into both hands, Bast kissed him once more.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Let me know you enjoyed it by leaving a kudo or comment so I know to keep writing!! Want more KKC oriented content? Follow me on my KKC blog kote-the-inn-keeper.tumblr.com


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